Sheet cutting and creasing press



Aug. 5, 1.947.

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ATTORNEYJ' H. J. LUE HRS SHEET CUTTING AND CREASING PRESS Original Filed Aug. 25, 1944 13 Sheet sSheet l2 loll! llll lllllll lxllllll ATfOEA/EYS I Aug 5, 1947. v H. J. LUEHRS SHEEP]; C UTTING AND CREAS ING PRESS Original Filed Aug..25, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 15 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5, 1947 Cottrell Original application 551,098. Divided and & Sons Company, corporation of Delaware August 25, 1944, Serial No. this application May 17,

1945, Serial No. 594,333

2 Claims.

In sheet cutters and creasers of the bed and cylinder type the speed of the machine is limited because of the high inertia forces of the necessarily heavy reciprocating bed which travels a considerable distance during its forward and return strokes.

By the use of platen presses the speed of the machine may be materially increased due to the decreased inertia forces of the reciprocating platen which may be moved a comparatively short distance on its upward and downward strokes.

My invention consists in improvements in presses of the platen type whereby the strokes of the movable platen and of the sheet handling carriage may be kept at a minimum, thereby materially decreasing the inertia forces of the said platen and carriage and increasing the production speed of the press without sacrificing the known desirable features of the bed cylinder type of press.

My invention also consists in providing means whereby excessive deflection of the platens under the increased cutting and creasing pressures is prevented, and in providing means for ensuring conformity of any slight deflection of the platens which might be caused by the said increased cutting Iand creasing pressures.

My invention also consists in providing means for obtaining the maximum degree of accessibility to the cutter plate and die carried by the platens.

My invention also includes certain other improvements in the construction, arrangement and operation of the several parts of the press as will hereinafter more fully appear.

One object of my invention is to provide novel means whereby the reciprocating movements of the sheet handling carriage and the movable platen are co-related as to permit a short movement of the platen and of the sheet handlingcarriage to thereby reduce the inertia forces to a minimum.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel means whereby the sheet handling carriage may be reciprocated in a straight line with a dwell at the beginning of its forward stroke to feed-in a new sheet and to take the preceding cut and creased sheet from the lower platen; another dwell near the end of said stroke at the sheet cutting and creasing position and to deliver the preceding cut and creased sheet; and a slight additional movement to open the sheet taking grippers on the carriage and move them beyond the leading end of the newly cut and creased sheet to permit the free return stroke of the empty carriage.

R. 1., assignor to C. B.

Westerly, R. 1., a

A further object is to provide novel means for locking and unlocking the upper platen and additional novel means for subsequently swinging the unlocked platen open to a substantially ver- .ical position to gain convenient access to the cutter plate and die for make-ready, etc., and for swinging the platen from position.

A further object is to provide novel means for reciprocating the lower platen in which an additional means is provided for carrying the load during the sheet cutting and creasing operation.

A further object is to provide novel means for operating the sheet grippers and suction devices on the carriage and the suction devices on the lower platen in timed relation.

A further object is to provide means for bringing the lower platen into and out of contact with the suction devices on the carriage during the dwell of the carriage at its newly fed sheet taking position to transfer the preceding cut and creased sheet to the said carriage to be forwarded thereby to the delivery.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side its feeder and delivery;

Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 represents a. transverse vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken in the plane of the line III--III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 represents a transverse section on the same scale as Fig. 3, taken in the plane of the line IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 represents a vertical transverse section taken in the plane of the line V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 represents a detail vertical transverse section, taken in the plane of the line VI of Fig. 3 with the moving element in another position from that shown in Fig. 5; I

Fig. '7 represents a vertical longitudinal section, taken in the plane of the line VII-VII of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 represents a similar section with the moving elements in another position;

Fig. 9 represents a detail plan view partly in section, on an enlarged scale, of the press and delivery;

Fig. 10 represents a detail side elevation of the delivery showing the mechanisms for operating the sheet grippers and suction devices on the reciprocating sheet handling carriage;

Fig. 11 represents a detail vertical section, taken in the plane of the line XI--XI of Fig. 9,

its open to its closed view of the press with 3 showing the cam for operating the sheet grippers on the carriage;

Fig. 12 represents a detail vertical section, taken in the plane of the line XIIXII of Fig. 9, showing the cam for controlling the operation of the suction devices on the carriage;

Fig. 13. represents a detail side elevation showing the mechanism for operating the suction devices on the movable lower platen;

Fig. 14 represents a detail vertical section, taken in the plane of the line XlV-XIV of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 represents a detail vertical longitudinal section of the fixed upper platen;

Fig. 16 represents a detail horizontal section, taken in the plane of the line XVIXVI of Fig. 15;

Fig. 1'7 represents a detail plan view partly in section of the lower platen and it die;

Fig. 18 represents a vertical section, taken in the plane of the line XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 1'7;

Fig. 19 represents a detail plan view of, the carriage and its sheet handling grippers and suction devices;

Fig. 20 represents a detail vertical section showing the carriage and a portion of the means for reciprocating it, the parts being in position to take the newly fed sheet;

Fig. 21 represents a detail end view of thesame;

Fig. 22. represents a view similar to Fig. 20, with the moving elements in position tocut and crease the sheets;

Fig. 23 represents a detail plan view partly in section, of the' power means for swinging the upper platen, when unlocked, to its opened and closed positions;

Fig. 24 represents a detail vertical section taken in the plane of the line XXIV-XEHV of Fig. 23;

Fig. 25' represents a detail vertical section, taken in the plane of the line XXVXXV of Fig. 23, showing a portion of the manually operated means for unlocking the upper platen;

Fig. 26 represents a detail plan view of a gripper on an enlarged scale Fig. 27 represents a longitudinal section taken in the plane of the line XXVII-XXVII of Fig. 26;

Fig. 28 represents a detail side elevation of the gripper actuating means;

Fig. 29 represents a detail side View of one of the back-lash preventing devices in which the cam is-shown in full lines in the position it assumes when swung back against tension of its spring by one of the rollers at the rear end of the reciprocating carriage, and in. dotted lines swung back to its normal position when released by the said roller; and

Fig. 30 represents a front" view of the same, partly in section.

The press frame comprises, renerally the base i and the side frames 2, The stationary upper platen 3 is shown as provided with removable cutter pl'ate Al and the vertically movable'lower platen 5 as provided with a removable die 5 for periodic coaction with the cutter plate 4 to cut and crease succeeding sheets. This lower platen 5 is shown as mounted to reciprocate vertically.

The reciprocating sheet handling carriage l is shown as slidable in a straight line on the rails of the tracks ll, 8 which tracks are inclined forwardly and upwardly from the sheet feeder 9 to the sheet delivery 15. The feeder and delivery will not be specifically described nor claimed herein as they form no part of the present invention;

The power driven main drive shaft ll of the press is shown as provided with two pinions 52 adjacent the side frames 2, which pinions mesh with their two gears 33 fast on the main cam shaft is. This main cam shaft carries the cam 15 for: reciprocating the lower platen, which cam is located about midway between the side frames. This main cam shaft also carries two carriage reciprocating cams is for reciprocating the sheet handling carriage i, which cams are located ad jacent the side frames. This main cam shaft H3 is shown as driving. the auxiliary cam shaft l'i through the bevel gears l8, it. which auxiliary cam shaft carries the cam for controlling the operation of the several sheet handling devices.

The lower platen reciprocating cam i5 is shown as: having two cam grooves 252 of the same shape and also the same angular position with respect to the cam shaft I l, in which grooves 253 the smaller cam rollers 2i travel. This cam 25 is also shown as having a renewable short peripheral camsurface 22 of wear resisting material, as hardened steel, which. cam surface periodically engages. a. larger cam roller 23 for carrying the load during the sheet cutting and creasing operation.

These cam rollers 29 and 23v are operably connected to the lower platen by the. following means- Two toggle leversv are interposed between the lower platen. 5 and the base i of the press frame at points spaced inwardly from the sides of the lower platen and. between the vertical planes through the side supports for the fixed upper platen to eliminate the effect of the up ward central deflection of the upper platen, to avoid the downward central deflection of the lower platen and to ensure conformity of any slight deflection of both. platens in relationto each other which might be caused due to the in,- creased cutting and creasing pressures. Each toggle lever comprises pivotally connected upper and lower member 2a and 25., the upper member 24 being also pivoted to the lower platen 5 andthe lower member 25-to the said base 1. Two links 25 project from-the pivotal connections of the upper and lower members 211 and 25 of their respective toggle levers. These links are also pivoted to a frame 2'! which carries the cam rollers 2i and 23. This roller frame 2'5 is. shown as a yoke which is vertically reciprocated in the guides 28 uprising from the base lby the action of the cam grooves 29 on the cam rollers 2i, which cam grooves impart a gradually increasing upward movement and a gradually decreasing downward movement to. the lower platen during its operative cycle.

A heavy coil spring 2.9 is located between the lower platen and the frame 21 to exert pressure on the cam rollers 2i and 23410 keep them in contact withtheir cam surfaces and to thereby eliminate lost motion.

The sheet handling carriage I is shown as reciprocated, withv the proper dwells, in an inclined straight line by the following means. Each of r the carriage reciprocating cams It has a properly shaped cam groove 38in which a roller 3! travels. This camroller 3.! is carried by a rackbar 32 vertically slidable in upper and lower guides 33 and 33* on the side framev 2, the teeth of which rack bar engage a pinion 3 3' on a shaft 35 which carries a toothed segment 36. Overthrow springs 36* are connected to cranks 35* (see Figs. 5 and 6) on the shaft 35 for yieldingly holding the segments at the limits of their throw and to eliminate backlash thereon. These two segments 36 mesh with rack bars 3'! extending along and secured to the sides of the said carriage I. The shape of these carriage reciprocating cams i6 is such that the carriage is moved at a faster speed on its return stroke and at aslower speed on its forward stroke with a dwell at its position to take a newly fed sheet and the preceding cut and creased sheet, a dwell at its position for cutting and creasing the newly fed sheet and delivering the previously cut and creased sheet and with a short added movement at the finish of its forward stroke to open sheet grippers on the carriage and move them beyond the leading end of the said newly fed-in sheet after it has been cut and creased.

The weight of the movable lower platen 5 is shown as partly counterbalanced to relieve to a considerable degree the strain on the platen operating means. In the present instance I have shown heavy coil springs 38 located between the lower platen and the base I upon opposite sides of the platen operating cam l5 and in line with the toggle levers.

The means on the carriage I for handling the newly fed-in sheet and the preceding cut and creased sheet comprises the sheet grippers 39 and the suction devices 48.

The sheet grippers 39 are disposed across the rear end of the carriage l in position to be closed to grasp a new sheet from the feeder 9 during the dwell at the beginning of the forward stroke of the carriage and to release the said sheet as it reaches its sheet cutting and creasing position just before the end of the forward stroke of the carriage,

The suction devices til on the carriage I are disposed in position to take the preceding cut and creased sheet from the die 6 on the lower platen 5 during the dwell at the start of the forward movement of the carriage and during the forward stroke convey the said preceding cut and creased sheet forwardly to its delivery position at the same time as the new sheet is fed-in to its cutting and creasing position.

Suction devices ii are also provided in the die ii on the lower platen 5 for holding the newly fed-in sheet on the die 5 during the cutting and creasing operation and also during the return stroke of the carriage l and until the suction devices it? on the carriage engage the preceding cut and creased sheet to lift it from the die.

The inner wall of the cam groove 2!! is shaped at 29* to move the lower platen a short distance upwardly from its lowered position, during the dwell of the carriage at its feeding-in position, to bring the preceding cut and creased sheet on the lower platen into contact with the suction devices 43 on the carriage and to then move the platen downwardly a short distance from the carriage to permit the free forward movement of the cut and creased sheet. 1

Ready access to the die and cutter plate may be provided for by providing manual means for releasably locking the upper platen in its operative position and power means for swinging the unlocked platen to its opened and closed positions.

The power means for opening and closing the upper platen is shown as including a motor 42 whose shaft a3 is connected by a worm M to the lower worm gear 45 on the vertical shaft 46. The upper worm 31 on its shaft 46 meshes with a toothed segment 48 fixed to one of the jour nals 59 projecting from the ends of an offset portion 53 of the upper platen, which journals are mounted in suitable bearings 5! in the side frames 2.

The manual means for releasably locking the upper platen, under pressure, in its closed or operative position includes a hand wheel 52 on the hand shaft 53, which hand shaft is provided with two worms 5 which mesh with two toothed se ments 55 carried by the eccentric rock shafts 56. Platen engaging hooks 5'? have their hubs 58 mounted for a limited rotary movement on the eccentric portions '59 of the rock shafts 56, in the present instance by providing the hooks with circumferentially elongated slots 6B and the said eccentric portions of the rockshafts 5% with pins 6! which project into said slots. The eccentric mounting of the platen hooks 5? will cause the hooks to exert additional pressure on the closed upper platen to hold it firmly in said closed position. At the end of their limited movement on the shafts 55 the platen hooks may be swung out of their platen locking position by the further rotary movement of the rock shafts in the proper direction. The first portion of the releasing movement of the hooks will remove the pressure of the hooks on the upper platen and thus permit th hooks to be swung freely to their released position. Springs 51* serve to urge the hooks 5! toward their locking position.

The several mechanisms for operating the sheet grippers 39, the suction devices 40 and the suction devices M at the proper times will now be described.

The means for operating the sheet grippers 39 on the carriage l at the proper times to feed-in and to release the newly fed sheet comprises the following elements. The auxiliary cam shaft H is shown as provided with a box cam 52 in the groove of which there is located a roller 63 carried by a vertically slidable rod 6 3, the upper portion of which rod is guided in a bracket 65. The upper end of the rod 56 is connected by a link 65 to one arm fil of a rock lever fast on a rock shaft 58,'the other arms 69 of which rock lever are connected by rods 10 to uprising arms H journaled on a cross tie shaft 12. The uprising arms 69 are provided with rollers 13 for controlling the closing of the sheet grippers 39 to take a newly fed sheet, and th arms H are provided with rollers lid for controlling the opening of the grippers when the newly fed sheet reaches its cutting and creasing position on the forward stroke of the carriage.

The sheet grippers 3e are opened and closed by th engagement of the rollers 73, it with the arms (6 which depend from the gripper cross shaft 5-5 at the proper times in the reciprocation of the carriage. The movable jaws Tl of the grippers 39 are pivoted at is and they are con nected to the arms ii! of the cross shaft 15 by means of adjustable links 86, block 8!, connec ing rods 82, blocks 83 and links '84. Overthrow springs as are provided for holding the grippers through the shaft 15 in either their open or closed position.

The means for operating the suction devices as on the carriage l at the proper times to take a preceding cut and creased sheet from the die and to deliver the sheet comprises the following elements. The suction devices 40 on the carriage are operated from the auxiliary cam shaft H, which cam shaft is provided with a box cam 86 in the groove of which there is located the roller 87! which is carried by a forked rod 88 connected at its upper end to an arm 89 on a cross shaft 9-9. This cross shaft has another arm 9| connected by a vertical rod 92 to an arm 93 pivoted on the press frame, which arm 93 is connected by a link 94 to a slide valve '95 having a series of ridge ports 98 for opening and closing the suction passages -81 to atmosphere through the ports 98.

The suction passages are flexibly connected by tubes 99 to the suction devices 40 on the carriage.

The means for operating the suction devices 5-] through the die 5 on the lower platen to hold a newly fed sheet thereon during the cutting and creasing operation and during the return stroke of the carriage and to then release the sheet, comprises the following elements.

The auxiliary cam shaft I1 is provided with a box cam 428 in the groove of which there is located a roller 1 GI carried by a vertically slidable rod H32, the upper end of which rod is connected by a link its to an arm H34 fast on the cross shaft i535. This cross shaft 105 is provided with depending arms Hi6 connected to the slide bars ID! by links its, Each of the slide bars i? is provided with two slide valves having bridge ports iii-9 for opening and closing the suction passages lit to the atmosphere through the ports ill. These suction passages l H] are flexibly connected by tubes H2 leading to th suction devices it through passages H3, transverse auxiliary manifolds i M and passages 1 15. The suction devices an and 1-! are in open communication with a common manifold H6 which manifold is connected through a pipe H to a power driven vacuum pump, not shown (see Figs. 7 and 8).

Shock-absorbing means are provided for the sheet handling carriage at the ends of its forward and rearward strokes, which means includes the following elements. The sides of the carriage are shown as provided with two rollers H3 at its rear end and two rollers H9 at its front end. The press side frames 2 are shown as provided with two spring pressed yielding cams 129 for engagement by the carriage rollers H8 and with two spring pressed yielding cams 2! for engagement :by the carriage rollers HS (see Figs. 9 and 19). As these spring pressed cams i223 and HM "are similar, the construction, mounting and operation of one of the cams I20 only will be described. This cam lZB is keyed to a short shaft !2 6 which is mounted to oscillate in the outer end'of a hollow bracket I 22 fixed to one of the side frames 2. This bracket I22 is provided with diverging arms I23 and I24 which carry adjustable screws !2! and 128 located in position to engage a lug I25 on the cam I20 to limit its swinging movement in both directions. The coil spring I29 which is located within the bracket i2: is connected at one end to a disc I39 on the inner end of a short shaft I26 and at its other end to a plug 1:31 in the bracket 122, for yieldingly holding the "cam I20 at the limit of its forward swinging movement in contact with its screw stop I2! carried by the arm 1'23 of the bracket 822. It will be seen that at the end of one stroke of the carriage the rollers H8 will engage and swing back their spring pressed cams 52 and that at the end of the opposite stroke of the carriage its rollers H9 will engage and s-win'gback the spring pressed cams [21.

In operation, the sheets to be cut and creased are fed one by one into proper end and side register by the feeder '9 to be taken by the sheet grippers 39 on the rear end of the carriage I as the carriage dwells .at the start of its forward stroke. At the same time the lower platen is slightly moved upwardly to bring the preceding out and creased sheet into contact with the suction devices on the carriage. The suction de vices 4| in the die on the lower platen 5 are then operated to release the preceding cut and creased sheet from the die and the suction devices Ml on the carriage I are operated to take and hold the released preceding cut and creased sheet on the carriage.

As the carriage T is moved forwardly and upwardly in a straight line along its inclined track 8 the grippers 39 will feed the new sheet into position to be cut and creased by the coaction of the lower and upper platens. On the same forward stroke of the carriage the suction devices 40 on the carriage will advance the preceding cut and creased sheet to its delivery point. The carriage is then caused to dwell a sufficient time to permit the die on the upwardly moving lower platen to cut and crease the newly fed-in sheet. The suction devices 46 on the carriage will be released to deliver the preceding cut and creased sheet, and the suction devices 4! in the die on the lower platen will be operated to hold the newly out and creased sheet on the die.

The carriage is then moved a short distance forwardly to the end of its forward stroke for causing the sheet grippers 39 on the carriage to be opened to release the newly cut and creased sheet and moved just beyond the leading end of the said newly cut and creased sheet. The lower platen is then moved downwardly with its newly cut and creased sheet and the empty carriage is returned downwardly and rearwardly on its track 8 to its sheet feeding-in position. The cycle may then be repeated.

It will be understood that the reciprocating movements of the carriage and the lower platen q are so timed with respect to each other that the cutting and creasing operation as well as feeding-in and delivery operations may be complished with a minimum movement of lower platen.

As the lower platen reaches its cutting and creasing position it will be seen that the cam surface 22 on the :platen reciprocating cam l5 engages the larger cam roller 23 thus causing the cam 15 through its cam roller 23 to carry the load during the cutting and creasing operation.

If it be desired to gain access to the die and cutterplate for make-ready, etc. the upper platen may be released from its closed or operative position, under pressure, by operating the platen engaging hooks 51 to first release their pressure on the upper platen and to then be swung free of the upper platen. The reversible motor 42 may then be started in the direction to cause the motor to swing the unlocked upper platen to its open vertical position. When so desired the upper platen may be returned to its closed position by the reverse operation of the motor. The hand shaft 53 may then be turned by its hand wheel 52 to swing the hooks to their looking position and to then draw the hooks downward to exert the required pressure on the upper platen to firmly seat the same against the considerable upward pressure of the lower platen during the cutting and creasing operation.

This application is a division of my copending application filed August 25, 1944, Serial No. 551,098.

It is evident that various changes may be re sorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence the acthe I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but what I claim is:

1. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a press frame, upper and lower platens, means for periodically moving the lower platen into cutting and creasing coaction with the upper platen, a sheet handling carriage, means for reciprocating it forwardly and rearwardly in a right line, and means for preventing backlash of the carriage at the ends of its forward and backward strokes, said means including rollers on the carriage, and spring pressed yielding cams on the press frame for engagement by said carriage rollers.

2. In a sheet cutting and creasing press, a press frame, upper and lower platens, means for periodically moving the lower platen into cutting and creasing coaction with the upper platen, a

REFERENCES CETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 475,931 Chapin May 31, 1892 

